Doggers

My crafting buddies. I love it when they hang out with me in my craft studio. It was so funny. Monday they were laying in their own beds, and the next time I looked over they had switched places! Such silly goofers.

They both love Dawn's new Christmassy blanket Valerie surprised her with. It's very, very soft.

One ear up!

I asked Molly if she wanted a sweater because she was snuggled up around my pillows in a little ball.

I brought out the heart sweater, held it up and asked her again. She got up and walked over to me, like, yes, mama, put it on me!

Mail Art

I love it when the dogs sun themselves without realizing they're snuggled together. Winnie and Molly sat there for quite some time.

I just completed a mail art swap and I'm so excited about it. These swaps challenge me to be better and more creative, and help me to step outside my comfort zone.

I did some mixed-media on the envelope, something I really enjoyed doing. I stuffed it full and folded it in half for a more secure fit.

Included was a mixture of embossed and inked papers, one of the playing cards from the deck I've been working on, tissue paper, a nifty sticker I made that looks like the top of an old spool of thread, and more. (Argh! I can't get this paragraph to stay to the left.)

The card above was made using a piece of deli paper as the base, then a coat of gesso, and decoupaged tissue paper with two different prints on it. Then I inked it up, adhered it to a piece of sticky-backed card stock, trimmed it and rounded the corners. I like doing things to deli paper, it takes a beating without tearing.

This was a sheet of clear stickers for the months of 2013. I gave it a coat of clear gesso and inked it up. She'll be able to use it in her collage work.

The wrinkly bit on top is a piece of brown paper made to look at feel leather-like. Water and glycerin is the secret to making it so supple. I also cut some deli paper flowers and decorated them. I left a few kind of plain for her to play around with.

Here's what I received:

Some great stuff already from my swap partner. I was hoping for those green teeth! My favorite piece is the one on top. I can see the many layers she applied and the fun she had doing it. She's so talented.

The envelope was very cool.

You can see Roni's Instagram here. FYI, mine is here. If you ever have the opportunity to do a mail swap, do it! If you would like to do one with me, leave a comment below or email me at iamdawt@gmail.com and we'll talk about it.

Pillows!

 The many ways Molly enjoys pillows

And Winnie, too!

But Clover prefers Grandma's comfy rocking chair

Winnie

Winnie, another of my grandoggers, is missing Gibbs. Part of our morning routine is that she’d come into my room and lay down to the left of me, Gibbs on my right. Then I’d sing them their own little ditty (don’t judge me), and when I was done they’d reach over me, meeting in the middle. And kiss. This morning Winnie jumped on my bed and kept looking over at Gibbs’ spot. I sang to her, but she just couldn’t seem to muster any enthusiasm.

 

When I fixed her breakfast she wouldn’t eat at first. She kept walking around the kitchen and then went over and sat near Gibbs’ bed we keep by the sliding glass door. (We kept beds all over the house for him because of his old arthritic bones.) It took her awhile, but she finally ate.

I keep telling her Gibbs is all gone, making the hand motions we do when we give them treats and they’re all gone. I don’t know what else to do but to acknowledge that I understand she’s looking for her buddy.